More than twenty years ago, when I became one of the first marketers in the U.S. to specialize in the organic industry, wellness marketing, green advertising and renewable energy marketing, many of my colleagues thought I had lost my mind.
They said I would never make a living. That the niche was too narrow. That the market didn't exist.
They were right.
I had lost my mind. But I had opened my heart. Today my business continues to thrive.
One of the extraordinary things about a business like mine is that there is pure alignment between my life and my work.
So when meeting with
YogaSamba creator, Luciana Freire in Los Angeles, we spent the morning practicing yoga on the beach.
Not only is Luciana one of my favorite people on the planet, this beautiful Brazilian yogini is bringing a whole new dimension to yoga.
So if you're looking for balance in your life, YogaSamba is a celebratory way to dance your way into it. This practice is the embodiment of yin meets yang. Cobra meets Copacabana. And resting pose meets Rio. Her class not only opens your hips. It opens your heart. So how do you market a brand like this? With an open mind—and positioning that speaks to the heart.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Today is the winter solstice. One of my favorite days of the year.
Living here near Minneapolis, it's dark before 5pm. This is a time of going deep into the quiet. And it's a time to rediscover that
the light we seek actually comes from within. It is in the darkness that we shine most brightly.
As I worked this week creating ad campaigns, motion graphics for websites and brand architecture for clients in progressive business, the organic industry, wellness marketing and social change, it struck me that the process of creation is much like the solstice.
Every time we are called upon to create, we face darkness. The unknown. Whether putting words to a page or computer screen, the fact is, the surface is always blank. Dark.
What gives creative force life, is the light we bring from within. It's the knowledge, intuition, instinct, experience and knowing that we call upon in partnership with our clients that makes great advertising and marketing. This is our time to shine brightly.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
We can all take ourselves a bit too seriously. Wavy Gravy, the Woodstock clown activist famously said, "We're all just bozos on the bus." How true.
So in the midst of work. Life. Deadlines. And holiday celebrations,
join me in taking time to play. Recharge. And dance through life. As the president and creative director of a green advertising and marketing agency near Minneapolis, I make it a priority whenever I am on either coast to dip my feet into the Atlantic or Pacific, no matter what my schedule or weather.
Creativity comes from within. So when it comes to shining light on yoga advertising, social change communications, the organic industry or wellness marketing—try to work in some play time by the sea.
You'll nurture new ways of seeing life and work.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Who says sustainable brands can't be sexy? Not
River Moon Coffee, a new brand nestled along the
St. Croix River in Stillwater, Minnesota.
When founder, Geoff Schodde hired me to help his team craft a highly experiential brand that spoke to his passion for perfect coffee, beauty and pleasure—while at the same time supporting small, artisan shade-grown coffee farms, the journey was as delicious as his beans.
My expertise with the LOHAS (LIfestyles of Health and Sustainability) consumer, green advertising, organic industry and social change communication, served as a solid foundation for the start of this brand. But even more vital were the unflinchingly intuitive and intentional brand touch points that rose to the surface during our brand architecture process.
Brands that want to be a little bit of everything, always amount to a lot of nothing. Great brands are fearless. And they are truthful. As we dove in, River Moon's unique characteristics emerged naturally and with a voice all its own. One that will speak with clarity, confidence and aliveness.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
When our client, Minneapolis produce distributor
H. Brooks and Company decided it was time for a brand evolution, a key element was their website. This family-owned business that began more than 100 years ago with a few dollars and a produce cart, has grown into an award-winning company deeply rooted in relationships with farmers throughout the world. Their brand promise?
Fresher delivered faster.Their new site is just that. Fresh. Fast. Juicy. And delicious. This mostly business-to-business site offers existing clients innovative marketing and resource tools, while serving as a gateway to new business.
As a
Minneapolis marketing agency specializing in organic branding, the organic industry, and wellness marketing, our team worked closely with Brooks to create a digital representation of not only their brand—but their brand promise. Response has been enthusiastic, but perhaps more importantly, this site is a vital step toward introducing healthier food to our communities one byte at a time.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
The director most known for his hugely commercial Jim Carrey films, including,
Liar Liar and
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Tom Shadyac, has crafted a deeply personal documentary that speaks to the beauty as well as the excesses of humanity and our inherent oneness with life.
I AM chronicles Tom's journey from a life-changing injury to his subsequent quest for enlightenment. I had a chance to meet Tom after the opening and screening of the film in Minneapolis.
As we shared our stories of healing and transformation, I was struck by the how the power of our own personal experience can inspire change.
As the head of a mission-based advertising agency that specializes in helping businesses and organizations do well and do good, I know well how to move people to action.
Having worked to grow the organic industry, bring yoga to the mainstream, pioneered renewable energy marketing and lead the way in social change communications, I am a full-on believer that we as individuals can be a force for good.
As I shared with Tom, life is much like that field of poppies in.
The Wizard of Oz. The further we travel, the more likely we are to fall asleep. Good green and mission-based marketing is a wake up call. So is this film. Join me and discover what's right with the world.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Can wellness marketing bring healing? When your message aligns it can.
That's definitely the case with our client
Spring Forest Qigong. Their upcoming wellness conference is about awakening, healing and empowering women. Our marketing effort is designed to inspire action, but also to create financial wellness that supports the organization. That's a win-win. A closed loop. The perfection of reciprocity.
Like a breath—on our inhale, we breathe in oxygen. On the exhale we breathe out carbon dioxide. The CO2 is in turn absorbed by trees and transformed back into oxygen. The cycle begins again.
As a head of a green advertising agency near Minneapolis, it is such an honor to create marketing that is much about doing well as it is about doing good. Our organic industry work, social change communication, yoga studio marketing and passion for green energy effects change. And in times like these, change is good.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing
If a
town nestled amidst ancient Italian olive groves can create a renewable energy
future, so can communities large and small across the U.S.
As the head of a Minnesota-based green marketing agency, I know too well that the
midwest is often considered the Saudi Arabia of wind. I also know that despite that fact, most of the energy produced here is made from coal.
We've got a long way to go. But the tiny village of Tocco is showing us the way. This kind of bold leap into the future is much like the kinds of campaigns we create at firefly180. With clients in the arenas of the organic industry, renewable energy marketing, social change communications and wellness marketing, our team supports businesses and organizations with creative and sustainable approaches to building brands and revenue streams.
The times are changing. So too is our ability to re-create our energy future.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
When I visited my
homeopath this week, an extraordinary woman who is also a MD, it struck me
how much
alignment exists between the modalities of healing and branding.
Like a homeopathist, at firefly180 we begin the brand process by looking for patterns, past history, current perceptions and challenges. We look at what's working. What's not working. We look at tangibles like products and services delivered. And we look at intangibles like how an end-user "feels" when they receive that service.
As the head of a green Minneapolis advertising and marketing agency, who specializes in working with green marketing companies, the organic industry, wellness marketing and the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) consumer, I always knew our approach was holistic. But I didn't fully make the connection that our
organic and sustainable branding approach is as holistic as the clients we serve.
Funny how seemingly everyday experiences can bring new insight and depth of understanding.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
One of my favorite clients is having a banner year. With
two recent and prestigious industry awards under their belt, this fruit and vegetable distributor can hardly contain themselves.
We've been working together for nearly two years to create a brand that reflects their long-standing leadership position. And it's working. They are breaking new ground, strengthening existing relationships and creating new ones.
While awards are great for affirming a job well done,
can they translate into increased sales? Absolutely. Consumers and customers ask themselves three questions before opening their wallets:
1) What's in it for me?
2) How is your product or service unique in the market?
3) Why should I believe you?
Awards are excellent credibility builders. They're impressive. They inspire confidence. And they speak to excellence, leadership and innovation. As an organic industry expert, green marketing leader and green advertising agency owner who specializes in working with LOHAS consumers, my team at firefly180 knows how to leverage awards in order to generate tangible results.
After all we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we weren't moving the dial to create financial and environmental change.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
At firefly180, we specialize in building progressive brands. This brand work can be found at the core of our green ad campaigns, health and wellness campaigns, LOHAS consumer campaigns, yoga marketing and social change messaging in the music industry.
At the center of each brand is a clear and cohesive messaging platform. It serves as a rock-solid foundation from which to jump or dive into the marketplace.
A messaging platform will appear extraordinarily simple, yet it's a simplicity that emerges from a swirl of complexity.
It encompasses the essence of who you are, who you serve, and how you do it. It includes concepts and ideas that most closely represent your organization and its core values. It should resonate on an intellectual and emotional level so your platform can be developed into key words or phrases that become part of your conversation every time you describe what you sell or do.
Your messaging platform shouldn't change from month to month or year to year. So invest the time. The money. And the expertise to get it right. You wouldn't set sail in a boat, blindfolded, with no map, compass, fuel or means to communicate—so why would you launch your brand without being anything but fully prepared.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Who needs a cabinet full of pharmaceuticals when
nature offers its own medicine chest? 
As the owner of a Minnesota advertising and marketing agency and organic industry leader who specializes in green marketing, organic branding, social change communication and the LOHAS consumer, I have long worked with clients to educate customers about how food can heal.
One of our clients, H. Brooks and Company, is an absolute leader when it comes to offering tools that empower and educate grocery stores, restaurants and shoppers about the health benefits of fruit and veggies. Every marketing touch point is an opportunity to create messaging that not only differentiates your brand, but drives sales.
This recent newsletter illustrates how you can combine classic B-B sales strategy with a holistic message. And who doesn't love the fact that a delicious slice of watermelon can promote heart health and help prevent cancer?
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
If you haven't seen
Food Inc., move it to the number one position in your Netflix queue or rent it
now.
This amazing and engaging documentary
lifts the industry's veil of illusion and shines a light on the truth about how food is grown, processed and sold in this country. As a lifelong advocate for organic and locally grown food, I loved this film. And I applaud its makers for being catalysts for change.
As a leader in the areas of organic branding, social change communication and the LOHAS consumer, it's exciting to see this message play out on the big screen. While much has been made of the H1N1 virus "pandemic,"
it's food related conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity that are killing our family, friends, co-workers and neighbors in record numbers.
Science has long ago established that we are what we eat. The good news is we can
vote for change every time we check out at the grocery store. The more we demand locally and sustainably grown fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and meats, the more products will become available. And with scale, the price will drop. Making healthy eating available to all.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
According to
Environmental Leader, Marriott says it plans to learn from its “green” hotel prototypes and expand the program by a measure of tenfold over the next five years."
That's great news for travelers and great news for the planet. When a business as large as Marriott increases their green hotel initiative by 1000%, the impact is dramatic. Why is Marriott suddenly onboard? Because green programs result in energy efficiencies that save money. Plus, the marketing and public relations that will result are an added bonus.
As the head of a green advertising agency that specializes in the LOHAS consumer, social change communication, green energy marketing and the organic industry, I do my best to stay in green hotels while on the road. Typically, hotels like these are smaller, more personal and have stories to tell beyond a 7 a.m breakfast buffet. In fact, one hotel I've stayed in near Napa, California, actually featured an energy meter in the lobby that showed guests how much energy was currently being used and measured the resulting carbon emissions.
While Marriott may not choose to go this far, that's OK. What may seem like a small step by many, is actually a giant step for this chain. I look forward to following their success.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
If you think social media is a fad—think again.
Then check out this YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVXKI506w-E.
Not only are the graphics and stats interesting and fun—if you've been trying to convince your company or your client to jump on board, this four-minute video might just do the trick.
Thankfully, my clients are way ahead of the game. They
understand the power of a message that's communicated instantly. And they have come to know that sometimes email is just much too slow. As the head of an advertising and marketing agency that specializes in organic branding, the organic industry, social change communications and the LOHAS consumer, I work with many progressive companies who work hard to maintain their sense of immediacy.
And while many of us aspire to live our lives in the present moment, by the time you've finished reading this sentence, that moment has passed.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
If you haven't tried Sambazon's acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee), you don't know what you're missing.
This company has virtually single-handedly created a global market for what was once a beverage known mainly to South Americans.
My family has long been Sambazon fans, but when I recently learned the product was being sold in Costco, I knew they had become mass market mavens. Pretty impressive for a product that is relatively new in this country and that most people still mispronounce.
What's their secret? Like I advise all my clients in the organic industry or those who are launching breakthrough progressive products or services—
the key to building your brand is through education (Why acai matters)
and through story (How acai has been vital to native cultures for thousands of years, etc.)
Good marketing's got juice. I tip my glass to Sambazon.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
I just bought a new laptop bag and it's safe to say that I am in love.
Not only is it totally cool and extraordinarily functional—it's green. New from Urban Junket, the fresh t.o.t.e (to observe the earth) collection is made from 100% organic canvas coated with azo-free dyes. The interior lining is made from recycled plastic water bottles and saturated with bright turquoise vegetable dye. Plus $1 from each sale is used to offset the climate-change-causing carbon from the manufacturing process.
As the head of a Minneapolis marketing agency that specializes in green marketing, yoga advertising, the organic industry, renewable energy marketing and social change communication, I know firsthand how important it is to walk your talk. Now
I've got a laptop bag that lets me wear my environmental commitment.Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
It's a beautiful thing when green marketing, organic branding and social change communication become supercharged through media.
One of my favorite organic tea brands, Zhena's Gypsy Tea, got a great media hit recently when Jennifer Aniston prepared cocktails at a party using the Zhena's Super Berry Blend. Zhena, the founder of this brand, is an incredible visionary, authentic spirit, green goddess and master tea blender. I couldn't be happier for her.
Mass media has incredible power to educate, enlighten and inspire the mainstream. The organic industry, green companies and progressive businesses have amazing stories to tell. Put them together and you have a force for change. It's
a win for green business. And a win for consumers who are exposed to new ways to live healthier and more sustainably.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
This one is tricky.
Powerful, yet controversial environmental print and TV spots for WWF comparing the 9/11 terrorist
attacks with the 2004 tsunami, were recently entered at Cannes. They've caused quite a stir. Although not the kind the agency DDB had hoped for.
Turns out this agency created what is known in the industry as a
fake or phantom ad. A campaign created and placed often at the expense of an agency for the sole purpose of winning a prestigious award. What's more, WWF claims the first they knew about this spot was when they found it on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFHeQsOULng
As the head of a green advertising agency that specializes in green marketing, LOHAS marketing, organic promotion, natural advertising and environmental communication, I am all for compelling creative that moves millions to take action to protect the planet.
But unfortunately, this incident uses the brand power of WWF for a cheap shot at a big award. Too bad.
The world needs exceptional advertising and green marketing strategy to wake us up. Shake us up. And to bring about much needed action and change. But to create work that is all about the creative shop, at the expense and credibility of a client, is simply inexcusable.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director for firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Ad Age white paper revealing the changing face of consumers. 
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